Speak Up, Speak Out!
The Epilepsy Message
- Epilepsy is a serious public health condition that can have a devastating impact on people with the disorder and their families.
- Data from the Centers for Disease Control indicates that the impact of seizures on quality of life is comparable to the impact reported by individuals with arthritis, heart problems and cancer.
- We need additional funding for key federal programs and we need improved access to health care services to combat this problem.
Speak Up, Speak Out allows us to:
- Make our voices heard in Congress in a unified manner;
- Keep informed on important legislative issues; and
- Share personal stories and experiences of epilepsy with our legislators.
Our Advocacy Priorities
- Pursue federal health care reform, in particular access to specialists, expanded insurance coverage, and other efforts to improve the affordability and quality of health care;
- Increase medical research funding for epilepsy;
- Increase funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Health Resources and Service Administration activities to address epilepsy as a public health matter;
- Promote civil rights and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) enforcement;
- Identify federal opportunities for expansion of employment programs for people with epilepsy; and
- Support state level health care reform.
Kids Speak Up!
Kids Speak Up is held in conjunction with the Public Policy Institute which is held every spring. Thanks to corporate support from Abbott Labs, travel expenses are covered for one child and one parent to attend. Youth between the ages of 7 and 16 are eligible to participate.
The 2010 Kids Speak Up representative was Macie of Owingsville, KY.
Kids Speak Out is an annual event. The Epilepsy Foundation of Kentuckiana is always looking for more outgoing advocates to attend. If you are interested, please contact Debbie McGrath, Executive Director, dmcgrath@efky.org for more information and visit the Advocacy section of the National Epilepsy Foundation website.
